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Thugs rip off pigeons' heads
A pigeon fancier has been left devastated after sick thugs pulled the heads off about 60 of his birds.
Albert Woodroffe was left shaken by the horrific scene that greeted him after his new pigeon loft was broken into and many of his four-week-old birds killed.
"It's terrible," said the lifelong Sunderland pigeon man. "I feel absolutely sick. I couldn't even bring myself to look in the loft properly because it made me feel so ill. I need to calm down.
"A friend came to see me in the morning to tell me that the cree had been broken into and I just couldn't believe it. I was devastated."
The 61-year-old added: "Whoever pulled the heads off the birds will have been covered in blood afterwards so if anyone noticed someone with blood all over them then please tell the police."
Mr Woodroffe was in the process of moving his flock of prime racing pigeons from an old cree at Coldstream Avenue, Southwick, to a newly-built loft off Newcastle Road, Fulwell.
He said: "I decided to shift out of the square in Southwick after 45 years of absolutely no problems, to move them up to Fulwell where I've had new lofts built, which are absolutely fantastic.
"They've only been there for two days and then this happens – it's unbelievable."
Mr Woodroffe, who races as part of the Woodroffe Brothers who are known across Europe for their racing, said he has never been targeted like this before, and the price-tag on the birds would have been high.
"I've been keeping pigeons all my life and I'm 61 now," he said. "My dad did it before me and he died about 40 years ago. Nothing like this has ever happened before."
The bird killers broke into his pigeon loft by smashing down the door some time between 7pm on Sunday and 7am yesterday.
Police have launched an investigation into the killings and are asking anyone with information or witnesses to contact them on 03456 043043.
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Weather for Sunderland
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Heavy sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
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